_, having described Coleridge as "a noticeable man
with large grey eyes," goes on to say, "He" (viz. Coleridge) "did that
other man entice" to view his imagery. Now we are sadly afraid that
"the noticeable man with large grey eyes" did entice "that other man,"
viz. Gillman, to commence opium-eating. This is droll; and it makes us
laugh horribly. Gillman should have reformed _him_; and lo! _he_
corrupts Gillman. S. T. Coleridge visited Highgate by way of being
converted from the heresy of opium; and the issue is--that, in two
months' time, various grave men, amongst whom our friend Gillman
marches first in great pomp, are found to have faces shining and
glorious as that of AEsculapius; a fact of which we have already
explained the secret meaning. And scandal says (but then what will not
scandal say?) that a hogshead of opium goes up daily through Highgate
tunnel. Surely one corroboration of our hypothesis may be found in the
fact, that Vol. I. of Gillman's Coleridge is forever to stand
unpropped by Vol. II. For we have already observed--that opium-eaters,
though good fellows upon the whole, never finish any thing.

What then? A man has a right never to finish any thing. Certainly he
has; and by Magna Charta. But he has no right, by Magna Charta or by
Parva Charta, to slander decent men, like ourselves and our friend the
author of the _Opium Confessions_. Here it is that our complaint
arises against Mr Gillman. If he has taken to opium-eating, can we
help _that_? If _his_ face shines, must our faces be blackened? He has
very improperly published some intemperate passages from Coleridge's
letters, which ought to have been considered confidential, unless
Coleridge had left them for publication, charging upon the author of
the _Opium Confessions_ a reckless disregard of the temptations which,
in that work, he was scattering abroad amongst men. Now this author is
connected with ourselves, and we cannot neglect his defence, unless in
the case that he undertakes it himself.

We complain, also, that Coleridge raises (and is backed by Mr Gillman
in raising) a distinction perfectly perplexing to us, between himself
and the author of the _Opium Confessions_ upon the question--Why they
severally began the practice of opium-eating? In himself, it seems,
this motive was to relieve pain, whereas the Confessor was
surreptitiously seeking for pleasure. Ay, indeed--where did he learn
_that_? We have no copy of the _Confessions_ here, so